Transporting themselves to the hideout of the Rock Rangers wasn't going to be an easy task. They needed someway to not draw attention to themselves. Max suggested they try using one of Veloci's trucks, if any were still available. But Rodger said that would also bring unwanted attention because the Darkarians had taken over Raptor Dyne and would know when something was amiss. Michelle suggested that they try the yellow van instead, but she soon realized that would have caused a similar problem.
After much debate, Moynihan came up with an idea that seemed to be more beneficial. She suggested they take the submarine. She explained to everyone that she had left the submarine in a place close by. As much as she hated to say it, she had to say that it was invisible to radar, making it ideal for safe travel. Though Veloci and other Raptor Dyne members now knew for certain about her invisible submarine, right now, there were more important things to worry about.
At first, a few members of the Dino Squad weren't sure it was going to work. Buzz, Michelle, and Terri were especially concerned. They said that they would still some form of transportation if the Rock Rangers' lair was far from water. And if that were the case, then the submarine would just be a waste of time. To relieve them of some worry, Donovan explained that one of their hideout's tunnels did open up somewhere near water. They would still need to walk, but it wouldn't be as bad as they thought.
It was settled. They were going to take the submarine. This worked out well for everyone. The submarine was big enough to escort them all, and there was a medical section where the injured ones could be looked at. Crescent admitted she didn't feel comfortable using tools she was unfamiliar with, but she would still give them a try. The only one who seemed to protest the idea of the submarine was Oscura, who apparently couldn't swim. Kista laughed and told her she would keep her from drowning. The tone of her voice annoyed Oscura.
Caruso looked over at the dark skies above. It was getting late. He and the others had just finished packing their bags. They had spent the night over at Moynihan's lighthouse, so they already had some items packed. But Donovan said it wasn't going to be enough. They would all need to return home to get more items to pack. Donovan said he couldn't guarantee how long they'll be gone, and he suggested packing as much as possible.
Caruso turned his eyes over to Donovan. He felt uneasy around him. He wasn't sure what it was. Perhaps it was because he reminded him a little too much of Veloci. But he couldn't tell why, considering the two had somewhat different personalities. He looked over at his girlfriend, Fiona. He reached over and touched her shoulder. "Are you getting weird vibes from this guy?"
Fiona tilted an eyebrow. "Only a little, but I'm sure it'll pass." She paused for reflection. She recalled how Caruso didn't feel right about Michelle, and he later turned out to be right when she worked for Veloci. But then again, Michelle turned out to be a nice girl and an effective ally. So she wasn't sure what to make of this. "I think we will be fine."
"I hope you're right." Caruso said. "I just wish I could be as certain as you."
Fiona giggled and gripped his shoulders. "You worry too much. Try to loosen up for a change." She playfully stroked his hair. "Or do I need to remind you of the time that you were so worried about the expiration date on your lotion that you forgot actually bring the lotion to the clinic to get it checked?" She smirked at this amusing memory.
"No..." Caruso blushed in embarrassment. He chuckled, "Yeah, I guess you're right." He leaned in and gave Fiona a quick kiss.
"I hate to break up you two lovebirds..." Michelle said as she approached. "..but you guys should be getting home. The others are already leaving." She pointed to the others, who had started to leave the lighthouse.
Caruso and Fiona nodded their heads. They picked up their bags and started to leave. Then Caruso stopped. He turned to Michelle. "What about them?" He looked over at the corner where Veloci, Peter, Kista, and Oscura were. "Is it safe to leave them here alone?"
"They won't be alone. I'm here. Moynihan's here. And let's not forget the couple Rock Ranger alimons that were in the lighthouse as well. They won't be able to do any harm here." Michelle said with confidence. "And I'll point out that you guys won't be gone for long. You're just picking up some extra stuff for the trip to the Rock Rangers' place. That'll only take you guys a couple hours, shouldn't it?"
Fiona looked over at Caruso, smirking. "Not unless you're the type of person who fusses over every little outfit he is going to wear and constantly changes outfits every few minutes."
"Fiona!" Caruso cried.
Fiona nudged him gently. "Oh come on, I'm just teasing you." Her expression turned serious. "But Michelle's right. We should get going now."
"My mom is going to freak out when she finds out I have to leave again." Caruso said, smiling nervously as he rubbed the back of his head. "Sometimes she just drives me crazy."
"Well better than her not worrying at all..." Michelle said bitterly. She realized what she said and shook her head. "Um, anyway, I'll see you guys in a few hours." She turned and walked away before Fiona or Caruso could ask any questions.
sss
About an hour later, sitting a good distance away, was Donovan. He had told Stone he was going outside for a short walk. He didn't go very far. The lighthouse was still in view, but he was far enough that it would be difficult for them to see him. He was in his alimon form. He didn't bother going into hunter mode; his dark skin was camouflage enough. He watched as a couple of the Dino Squad members started to come back. Max, Caruso, and Rodger were the ones returning. They were carrying a couple large bags. He narrowed his eyes, wondering if they were carrying enough stuff with them.
Then his eyes rested on Caruso. He felt a sharp pang inside of him. His expression softened. There was something familiar about this boy, but he couldn't quite place it. Had he seen him somewhere before? He shook his head. Now wasn't the time for memory lane. He had a job to do. He continued to stare at Caruso, at the same time wondering when he should put forth his plan. He knew it wasn't going to be very popular, and he was risking everything on it. But he couldn't see any other way.
"Donovan, we are here."
The black and blue alimon turned around. Approaching him were Lorenzo, who was in his hunter mode, and Matyr. The two of them were still a good distance off, but were approaching fast. Donovan got up and turned towards them. He walked over to them, closing the gap faster. Once they were close enough, Donovan spoke.
"I am happy to see that you two made it." Donovan said, raising his head slightly. "It's getting harder to move around with the Darkarians in control of Raptor Dyne."
"Very true." Lorenzo said, his voice disgusted.
"Oh well, what's important is that we made it." Matyr said. She looked up at Donovan, her head lowered. "...are you sure this plan of yours is a good idea? I mean, what if something were to go wrong?"
Donovan blinked. He would be lying if he said that didn't cross his mind. Yet he knew doubt would only cause problems. He had to remain confident. "Nothing will go wrong, I assure you. We just need the right execution."
"But what about..." Matyr's eyes drifted towards the shadow of the teenagers going inside the lighthouse.
"Enough, Matyr!" Lorenzo barked at her. "Donovan has everything under control!" He looked over at Donovan, a smile spreading across his muzzle. "Don't you?"
Donovan stared at him. Then he chuckled, closing his eyes. "Of course I do. Everything will go according to plan." He walked over and put a paw around both Lorenzo and Matyr. The black female looked nervous, but the yellow male only smiled back. "And I can guarantee you...even my closest friend, Stone, will be taken for a loop..."
sss
Fiona grunted as she lifted the heavy bag from her bed. It was so stuffed full of clothes and other items that she thought it was going to explode. She felt like Caruso as she lugged the bag down the stairs. He always packed up so many things that she wondered if he would take the entire house with him if he could. She wouldn't be surprised if he was still at his house, rummaging through his stuff to find something else he could take with him. She smiled at the thought. She would rather see him like this, as himself, not the coward he had turned into for a short time.
She felt her hands weaken. The bag nearly slipped through her fingers. She reacted quickly and grabbed the bottom of the bag with her free hand, steadying it. She lifted it up and cradled it in her arms as she made her way towards the yellow SUV. The only reason she had so much stuff was that Terri had misplaced her bag, so she had to lug both her and her sister's clothing and items in one bag. It was frustrating and inconvenient, but there was nothing else she could do.
She reached the garage, letting out a sigh of relief. The door was already open. Standing next to it was Terri. She was leaning against the vehicle, watching as she came over with the bag. Fiona struggled to lift the bag up. Seeing this, Terri ran over and grabbed onto it. She pulled it up and helped her older sister push the bag into the back of the SUV. Once the bag was inside, Fiona paused for a moment to rub her sore arms.
"Thanks for the help." Fiona said. She reached up with both hands and pulled the door down, sealing the bulging bag inside. "It would have been easier in dino mode, but it was too risky..."
"Yeah I know. I heard what Stone and Moynihan had said hours ago." Terri replied.
Fiona noticed Terri's eyes were narrow in a concerned manner. She took a step towards her. "Hey is anything wrong?"
"No." Terri said.
Fiona said, "Don't lie to me, Terri. Something is troubling you. I can tell." Her sister didn't answer her. Fiona sighed softly. She reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Terri. I know you better than this. Please tell me what is wrong."
Terri thought for a moment. She turned her head to face Fiona. Her expression didn't change for several seconds. Eventually she softened her glare and she looked towards the ground. She felt stupid that she thought she could hide anything from Fiona. They were closer than what they would like to admit. She wasn't sure if she wanted to say anything at this time. Part of her felt it was silly, but another part was telling her to admit the truth.
After she was silent for longer than she intended, she felt Fiona shake her. She narrowed her eyes slightly. "You didn't have to do that, you know. I was just about to answer."
Fiona nodded her head. "Okay, tell me what's on your mind. Is it about what has happened as of late?"
"Well kind of." Terri said, rubbing her arm in nervousness. "But it's not the alimons. Don't get me wrong. I'm just as worried about them as the rest of you. But they're not what's clinging to my mind now. Something..or rather, someone else is."
Fiona tilted her head slightly. "And who might that be?"
"Well..." Terri was really nervous, and she knew Fiona could tell, judging from her expression. She knew Fiona would understand. After all, she had developed feelings for someone as well. Admitting that one was in love was always hard to do, even to someone that they trusted completely on the issue. "It's someone on the team." She said, feeling her face slowly turn red.
"Someone that you like?" Fiona inquired.
Still blushing, Terri nodded her head in response. "You got that right."
Fiona felt relieved that it wasn't anything dangerous that was bothering Terri. She was happy for her sister. She wrapped her arms around her and pulled her in. Terri was surprised at this gesture. But she soon returned the hug. As Fiona embraced her little sister, she said, "I'm glad that you found someone you like, Terri." She released her grip on her and, gripping her shoulders gently, she said, "Who is it?"
Terri smiled and looked away. "Buzz."
Fiona's eyes widened slightly at this response. "Buzz?" Terri gave a nod. Before Fiona could say anything further, she heard footsteps behind her. She looked over her shoulders. She smiled. "Oh hey, mom and dad!"
Mr. and Mrs. Flagstaff smiled back, waving at their daughters. They walked over towards Terri and Fiona. They stopped a few inches from them. Their expressions were a little strange, something that they hadn't seen before. It looked like they were about to cry, but this didn't seem like them. They hadn't fretted over them when they faced Dr. Veloci. But then again, he was a wimp compared to the Darkarians.
Mr. Flagstaff wrapped his arms around his oldest daughter. He pulled her into a tight hug. Fiona was shocked when she saw tears stroll down his face. She almost never seen her father cry before. With shaking arms, she returned the hug, resting her head against him. Terri was equally surprised when Mrs. Flagstaff embraced her as well. She looked just as scared as her husband. All Terri could do was hug her mother in an attempt to comfort her.
When the hugs were over, Terri said in a cautious voice, "Mom..? Dad..? What's wrong with you two?"
"I'm sorry if we're worrying you." Mr. Flagstaff said. "We're just..worried about you girls."
"This is going to be a dangerous mission. I just want you two to come home safely." Mrs. Flagstaff replied, wiping away a tear.
"We love you two with all our hearts." Mr. Flagstaff said, reaching out and gently patting Fiona on the head. "We would be devastated if something were to happen to you." He ran his fingers through her hair a few times before pulling his hand away, smiling through his tears at her.
Upon hearing this, both Fiona and Terri felt their own tears well up. The realization slowly hit them. They could die on this mission. It wasn't just battling mutantsaurs anymore. It was an all out war against the evil Darkarian alimons. There would be no mercy, no pause for rest, no turning back. It was going to be a kill or be killed battlefield. Part of them regretting getting involved, but what choice did they have? The Darkarians had given them no alternative, and the Rock Rangers seem dead set on fighting the other pack.
In Fiona's mind, memory flashes came. She remembered that terrible fight with Kista. The hybrid dinosaur had nearly killed Caruso. And it wasn't just him that almost died. They all did. With the combined efforts of their enemies, she had been brought to her knees, to badly injured to defend herself. She could still feel pain in the areas she had been struck, still feel the blood trickling down her body in multiple places. And she remembered how close she had come to dying along with her friends. She owed a great deal of debt to Terri. If she hadn't gotten their parents there in time, who knows what would have happened?
"You don't have to worry about us." Fiona said, trying her best to make her fake smile look genuine. "We'll be fine. Won't we, Terri?" She nudged her sister gently to get her to respond quicker.
"Yeah, we'll be okay. We can turn into dinosaurs! We can defend ourselves against the Darkarians." Terri said. She deliberately didn't bring up her own doubt. Part of her wondered if she could defeat the very experienced fighters that were the Darkarians.
"I'm glad to hear that." Mrs. Flagstaff said. "I know it sounds a little silly for us to be worried like this. It's just that..nothing like this happened before."
"It's okay." Fiona said. "I admit, we're a little scared too. But we won't be alone. We have the rest of the Dino Squad. And we have the support of another alimon pack, the Rock Rangers."
Mr. Flagstaff nodded. His eyes looked like they were starting to dry up. He wiped off what was left of his tears. "I apologize if we had you worried. Just call us whenever you can to give us updates. If that is possible that is."
"I'll have to ask Stone. It could be possible, though, with a few tweaks so that the messages aren't traced..." Terri said. Her voice trailed off as she pulled out her cellphone and noticed what time it was. She tugged on Fiona's sleeve. "Hey. We should get going. Stone is going to wonder where we are."
Fiona took note of the time as Terri lightly tapped on her cellphone screen. "Oh man, you're right, Terri!" She gave her parents a quick hug and kiss. "I'm sorry, we have to go now." She opened the driver's door and climbed inside the SUV. She buckled herself in, adjusted the mirrors, and shut the door. She placed the key in the ignition and turned it. "Hurry up, Terri, We can't keep them waiting!"
"Coming!" Terri also gave her parents a hug and kiss goodbye. She stared at them for a few seconds, and then turned and ran towards the car. Once she was situated in the passenger's seat, buckled in, Fiona pulled the shift into drive. The yellow SUV moved forward and went onto the road.
Mr. and Mrs. Flagstaff watched as their daughters left. They smiled at them, proud of what they were doing. But as they disappeared over the horizon, their smiles faded. Their expressions morphed into a look of guilt. They looked at each other, their faces telling each other that they had both did something that they regretted, and what was worse is that they couldn't say anything to anyone else about it.
They felt their hearts racing as they heard someone move in from behind them. A pair of strong feminine hands gripped their shoulders from the back. They looked over, their eyes widening as they saw a familiar woman staring at them intently. "So did you do your jobs, just like I instructed you to do?"
"Y-Yes, Axel..." Mrs. Flagstaff said. "..exactly how you told us to do it." Her husband nodded in response.
"Good." Axel said, releasing them. The two adult humans moved away from her. She smirked as she watched them tremble in fear.
"I just..I don't get it, though..." Mr. Flagstaff said. Axel cocked an eyebrow. "Why did you need us to do it?"
Axel laughed evilly. "Because they trust you. That's why, bonehead."
Though offended, the man dared not say anything against this crazy woman. "Well we did your dirty work for you..."
"So will you please spare us and our daughters' lives?" Mrs. Flagstaff said, her eyes having a pleading look on them.
Axel chuckled in response. She walked slowly towards them, her eyes having a faint blue glow to them. "I cannot promise that. All the deal was, you do this favor for me and I wouldn't kill you yet. I never said I never would, nor did I say anything about your daughters." She transformed her hand, sharp red claws extended, and she struck out at Mr. Flagstaff. He screamed as the claws lightly grazed his arm. She pulled her paw back and stared at the little amount of blood now on her talons. She licked it off.
"You can't do this!" Mrs. Flagstaff cried out, tears returning to her eyes. "We didn't do anything to you!"
"Doesn't matter." Axel said, smiling evilly. "I can always find something.." She moved closer to them until she was uncomfortably close to them. She showed her transformed hand at them, flexing her sharp claws in a threatening manner. "But I can promise you this. Say one word about this to anyone, and I will capture you and your pretty little girls and enjoy taking my time slowly torturing all four of you. I will make you watch your daughters get ripped apart and eaten by me. And as for you, well let's just say that you'll never be able to show your face in public ever again!"